Welcome to the 2nd post in the Understanding Multiple Intelligences 5-day series! Read the whole series from the beginning here.

In my first post, we talked about what the theory of Multiple Intelligences is and how it can transform the way you and your kids look at intelligence.

Over the next few days, we’ll look more closely at each of the 8 Intelligences proposed by Dr. Gardner. As you read through the signs and struggles associated with each strength, mark where you think your kids fall on a simple graph like the one below.

Today, we are going to dive into the actual intelligences (or ‘smarts’ for short). We’ll look at 2 smarts each day. Today we’re looking at Word and Logic Smarts, otherwise known as the school smarts. Kids who have these as their main intelligences tend to have an easier time in school. Let’s look at some of the signs, struggles, and careers for people who are Word ad Logic smart.

Signs That Your Child May Be Word Smart

Word Smart kids talk. A lot. They talk to think, talk during play, talk to everyone, and talk to no one. Word smart kids think in words and when they are excited, they almost always talk. On a recent trip to Chicago, my husband and I traveled with our two preteen daughters. It was interesting to observe them in light of their unique mix of intelligences. Our word smart daughter talked, and talked, and talked some more about everything she was seeing and thinking. While our nature smart daughter (which we’ll get to in a few days) hardly said a word. However, when she did talk, she was full of observations of the patterns she had been noticing about the workings of the airport and aboard the airplane. Fascinating! Being Word Smart is a school smart because much of the time our kids spend in school involves reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• May talk early
• Curious about letters and writing while young
• Like to write letters emails
• Able to remember details
• Has a large vocabulary
• Loves to read
• Likes to tell stories
• Enjoys talking about ideas with others
• Has a good memory for names

Word Smart Struggles

Remember that negative behaviors can point to strengths that are being used badly.

• Gossiping
• Teasing
• Lying
• Arguing
• Needing to have the last word
• Talking when they should be listening
• Can be prideful of their intellectual abilities

Remember what we learned on day one of the series. It’s important to correct our kids without shutting them down.

Word Smart Careers

Careers that involve word smarts are any careers that have to do with learning, speaking, listening, reading, writing, and teaching.

• Journalist, writer, editor
• Teacher, librarian
• Pastor, counselor
• Public relations, radio or television
• Proofreader, editor
• Screenwriter, speech writer
• Storyteller, translator, web editor

Signs That You May Be Logic Smart

Logic smart kids think with questions and when they’re excited, they ask more questions. They have a high need to know why and for things to make sense. They’re often asking “Why?”  When combined with people smarts they can make great leaders. This is another school smart. Many logic smart kids enjoy science, math, and nonfiction reading. They enjoy analyzing, predicting, and inventing.

• Find numbers fascinating
• Like science
• Can easily do math in their head
• Enjoy counting things
• Enjoy discovering how things work
• Remember numbers and statistics easily
• Enjoy strategy games
• Notice connections – cause and effect
• Spend time doing brainteasers are logic puzzles
• Love to organize information on charts and graphs
• Use computers for more than playing games

Logic Smart Struggles

Not only can logic smart kid solve problems, they can also cause them often without being caught! These are the kids that when mom or dad says parentheses don’t step over that line parentheses will put their foot in the middle of the line and argue about it.

• Curiosity can lead to trouble
• Intellectual pride, thinking they have all the answers
• Judging others
• Arguing to make their points
• Being angry when they’re confused
• Tend to worry when things don’t make sense

Logic Smart Careers

• Accountant, bookkeeper
• Electrician, engineer
• Auditor, banker
• Appraiser
• Computer programmer
• Meteorologist or another science field
• Auto mechanic
• Plumber
• Phone repair technician
• Researching or teaching

How has learning about Mulitple Intelligences changed the way you look at learning and your kids so far? Let us know in the comments below.

Join us here tomorrow when we’ll look more closely at The Artistic Smarts: Picture & Music Intelligences.

Linking up to the iHomeschool Network 5-Day Hopscotch. Click the image below to read more great posts in this series.